midterm II learning objectives Flashcards
what is nitrogenase
enzyme that fixes atmospheric nitrogen, that many bacteria use
how is a low O2 environ created inside the root nodule?
flavonoids from roots signal that the plant is looking for some rhizobia, and rhizobia in turn turn on Nod genes which cause root hairs to curl - nodule!
mycorrhizal fungi
- two types + their roles
- what is glomalin
- what negatively affects mycorrhizal fungi
ectomycorr and endomycorr (arbuscular)
ecto live on and bw plant cells whereas endo live in the plant cell itself
glomalin is a glycoprot compound formed by mycorr that stabilize the soil by building soil aggregates
hurt by fungicides, pesticides, heavy machinery, and tillage
what is the purpose of growing cover crops
‘green manures’ that naturally return nutrients to the soil when they die (also can be used to feed livestock)
what are the top three cover crops grown in canadian prairies
clover, oats, peas
what are warm season legumes?
soy beans
adzuki beans
cowpeas
beans bean the wonderful fruit the more you eat the more you toot the more you toot the better you feel so eat your beans at every meal ‼︎
what are the top three challenges for growing cover crop in canadian prairies
- shortness of growing season
- low moisture in fall
- additional costs (planting, care, etc)
what are the two main agriculture production systems in sub-saharan africa
subsistence small scale + plantation
what is the family of sorghum? where was it domesticated?
family: poaceae
domesticated in ethiopia
what is teff? what are its main traits?
a cereal that is:
- drought tolerant, disease tolerant
- high in minerals
- susceptible to lodging (getting flattened by wind or rain)
what is cassava? what are its main traits?
- perennial
- grows well in nutrient poor soil
- bitter varieties contain linamarin
- tuber (we eat the starch)
what is the diff bw yams and sweet potatoes?
yams are monocots, sweet potatoes are dicots
are plantains annual, biennial, or perennial?
perennial
what are the key traits of pseduo cereals? what are some examples?
- dicots
- eat the seeds, which are high in prot
amaranth, buckwheat, chia, quinoa
what are the key traits of bucckwheat?
- annual
- grows well in low fertile soil
- gets lodged in highly fertile soil
- pseudocereal
why cant u eat quinoa seeds straight out the pussy?
quinoa seeds are coated in bitter saponins that u gotta wash off first
what are the three sisters? what makes them family?
corn, bean, and squash
beans are N fixers, corn provides scaffold for beans to climb, squash protect the soil and block weeds
beans are high in prot, corn is a source of carbs, squash is high in other vitamins
what is intercropping?
growing multiple crops together
1. sporadically
2. in rows
3. in strips (big rows)
4. relay (in staggered strips)
what is the process to characterize the novel trait of a GE plant?
confirm that gene is expressed + translated into prot, and see if its transferred down generations
what are the benefits of GE plants?
- indiv genes can be targeted
- genes can be fine tuned in specific ways
- genes from any species can be used
what were the findings from the GE broccoli study?
- preception of taste + appearance affects WTP
- people are WTP for eastern broccoli varieties
what were the objectives of GE potato study
see how much people care about
- acrymalide reduction
- breeding tech used
- who the breeder is
- reduction in pesticides
